This invention relates to exercise accessories and in particular to a pliable apparatus that can be used in a variety of circumstances to support an appliance such as a portable cassette player or compact disc player, while allowing the exerciser to keep his or her hands free. Since the 1980s there has been substantial growth in the health and fitness industry as increasing numbers of people choose to exercise on a regular basis. Of particular popularity is the use of stationary equipment such as treadmills, stair machines, cycles, and rowing machines, which allow the exerciser to participate in aerobic exercise in a controlled environment, such as at home, at a health club or at a fitness center.
Many exercisers prefer to listen to music privately while exercising on such equipment, usually via a portable cassette or compact disc player with an attached set of earphones, generically known as a "walkman." There has been a long-felt but unsolved need for a hands-free means of supporting such a device while exercising. Free hands are important for operating and controlling the exercise equipment, maintaining one's balance, and maintaining comfort and safety. Some exercisers attach their music players to a strap worn around the waist or around an arm, but having such an object attached to the body while exercising can be uncomfortable and can impede the exercise. Other exercisers choose to hold their music players in one of their hands which makes it difficult to stay balanced and can cause discomfort in the hand or arm. The present invention addresses this need by providing a simple and flexible apparatus made of pliable, resilient material that can be hand-bent to hang from the exercise equipment and firmly support the music player during exercise. The open-frame design of the invention allows unimpeded operation of the exercise equipment even if the apparatus hangs over the display monitor of the equipment. Alternatively, the present invention can be hand-bent to stand freely on a flat surface and support the music player near where the user is exercising. It can be adapted as necessary to conform to and accommodate the shape of the music player, yet is rigid enough to resist deformity under the weight of the music player. The design is also rigid enough to resist deformity when the exerciser operates the music player by pushing buttons or moving controls. An optional strap with fastener means, such as a hook, is available to retain the music player securely within the apparatus during use. Although the preferred embodiment is directed to use while exercising, the apparatus could be used and reused to support or hang many different objects in wider applications.
Bracket and support devices are known in the prior art, but are distinguishable from the present invention. Further, the present invention discloses unsuggested combinations of modifications from the prior art, thereby advancing an otherwise crowded art. For example, Meska, U.S. Pat. No. 4,566,666, discloses a malleable wire bracket for mounting small appliances to a wall that is attached to the wall via an electrical outlet, a screw, or a pegboard, and presents two separate, unconnected wire members on which to hang appliances. Unlike Meska, the present invention can be free-standing, is stronger through being a continuous shape, and does not require an independent means of attachment to a vertical surface. Koch, U.S. Pat. No. 5,232,189, discloses a soap holder made of pliable wire that attaches to a sink or wall with two suction cups. Koch is distinguishable from the present invention in that it has no ability to adapt to the shape of the device it is holding, is intended for a different purpose, cannot be free-standing, and whose suction-cup separate means of attachment suggest minimal utility on exercise machines. A different use of pliable wire is disclosed in Reed, U.S. Pat. No. 3,532,225, which is a free-standing geometric structure convertible into different geometric shapes. Reed is distinguishable from the present invention in that it also has no ability to adapt to the shape of the device it is holding, is intended for different purposes, and suggests minimal utility on exercise machines.